Series Description

The Fridays TV show was a live sketch comedy series on ABC that aired for 70 minutes in its first season and 90 minutes in the second and third seasons. It was nearly identical to the format followed on NBC's hit series, "Saturday Night Live".

Fridays Cast

Mark Blankfield
Maryedith Burrell
Melanie Chartoff
Larry David
Darrow Igus
Brandis Kemp
Bruce Mahler
Michael Richards
John Roarke

Fridays Trivia

Rather than naming the celebrity guest stars during the opening credits like on Saturday Night Live, Fridays listed their names during the closing credits.

Guest star Andy Kaufman was well known for his antics that totally confused his co-stars. During his appearance on Fridays he broke out of character during a sketch and started a fight with Michael Richards ("Seinfeld"). Other than the few participants who were in on the joke, nearly all of the cast and crew thought that the fight was for real!

In response to SNL's "Weekend Update", Fridays also had a spoof of current news called, "Friday Edition". Both shows also regularly did spoofs of TV series and commercials and featured guest hosts and musical guests.

By the end of its first season, Fridays was actually beating SNL in the ratings. Then ABC decided to expand their hit news program, "Nightline" to five nights per week and that moved Fridays from 11:30 to midnight and the ratings took a nosedive.

ABC tried to reinvigorate Fridays by moving it to primetime in 1982. Unfortunately they put it up against the CBS megahit series, "Dallas" and almost no one watched Fridays so the series was canceled after just one primetime broadcast.

Episodes List With Original Air Dates

Season 1

1. Kenny Loggins (4/11/1980)
2. The Boomtown Rats (4/18/1980)
3. The Clash (4/25/1980)
4. Warren Zevon (5/9/1980)
5. Boz Scaggs (5/16/1980)
6. Devo (5/23/1980)
7. Ian Hunter Band (5/7/1980)
8. Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers (6/6/1980)
9. The Beach Boys (6/20/1980)
10. Graham Parker (6/27/1980)
11. Kenny Rogers (7/4/1980)
12. The Jam (7/11/1980)
13. Journey (7/18/1980)

14. Eddie Money (9/5/1980)
15. Kim Carnes (9/12/1980)
16. The Cars (9/19/1980)
17. Al Jarreau (10/3/1980)
18. Ted Nugent (10/10/1980)
19. Split Enz (10/17/1980)
20. Dire Straits (10/31/1980)
21. Devo (11/7/1980)
22. The Busboys (11/14/1980)
23. Heart (11/21/1980)
24. Pat Benatar (12/5/1980)
25. Steve Forbert (12/12/1980)
26. Rockpile (12/19/1980)
27. George Carlin / George Thorogood & the Destroyers (1/9/1981)
28. Shelley Winters / The Plasmatics (1/16/1981)
29. Henny Youngman / REO Speedwagon (1/23/1981)
30. Valerie Bertinelli / Jim Carroll Band (2/6/1981)
31. Michael McKean & David L. Lander / Kool & The Gang (2/13/1981)
32. Andy Kaufman / Sir Douglas Quintet (2/20/1981)
33. Billy Crystal / Randy Meisner (2/27/1981)
34. David Steinberg / Marshal Tucker Band (3/13/1981)
35. Father Guido Sarducci / Jefferson Starship (4/3/1981)
36. Madeline Kahn / Frankie & The Knockouts (4/10/1981)
37. Mark Hamill / Jimmy Buffett (5/8/1981)
38. George Hamilton / Gary U.S. Bonds (5/15/1981)

39. Andy Kaufman / The Pretenders (9/18/1981)
40. William Shatner / Kim Carnes (9/25/1981)
41. Tony Geary & Genie Francis / Devo (10/9/1981)
42. Karen Allen / The Stray Cats (10/16/1981)
43. Marty Feldman / Manhattan Transfer (10/30/1981)
44. David Naughton / Billy & The Beaters (11/6/1981)
45. Jamie Lee Curtis / Garland Jeffreys (11/13/1981)
46. Shelley Duvall / Al Jarreau (11/20/1981)
47. Peter Fonda / King Crimson (12/4/1981)
48. Susan Sarandon / The Four Tops (12/11/1981)
49. Beau Bridges / David Grisman (12/18/1981)
50. Valerie Harper / The Cars (1/8/1982)
51. Tab Hunter / KISS (1/15/1982)
52. Howard E. Rollins Jr. / Quarterflash (1/22/1982)
53. Bob Balaban / The Blasters (2/5/1982)
54. Valerie Bertinelli / Bill Champlin (2/12/1982)
55. Victoria Principal / Chubby Checker (2/19/1982)
56. Lynn Redgrave / Huey Lewis & The News (3/5/1982)
57. Gregory Hines / Bonnie Raitt (3/12/1982)
58. Marilu Henner / Sister Sledge (3/19/1982)
59. Prime Time Special: Tony Geary / Stevie Wonder & Paul McCartney (3/23/1982)